The writing, the subject matter, and the description presented herein is protected under the provisions of United States Copyright laws by the inventor, except only to any extent required by law in order to obtain and to continue all patent protection that is available during the term of any patent that issues hereon.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention, generally, is a system including method and apparatus for obtaining help from a remote location and, more particularly, relates to a Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) system that is responsive to predetermined computer programs.
Prior to the advent of public telephones and cell phones, many governmental agencies placed xe2x80x9ccall boxesxe2x80x9d on city street corners to permit citizens to call for special assistance. Often there would be a black and white painted call box for calling police and a red and white painted call box for calling the fire brigade.
Today, the freeways of the United States and the highways in much of the modern world are spotted with emergency call boxes that allow drivers in need to call for assistance. These call boxes are usually, but not always, connected to an emergency call center by radio. The technology used typically is the same technology as is used in cellular telephones.
There are many areas of the country and the world where cell phones are not useable and where even simple wire telephones are absent. In the United States these areas include the rugged border areas between the United States and Mexico and the tree shrouded northern states along the border with Canada. Individuals and undocumented immigrants can and do perish in these remote areas.
In addition, many parts of the country, including national parks, are hazardous places with communications limited to ranger stations and hunting lodges. Once out on the trail, the general public can have no means of communication to summon aid.
Further, many locations where a rescue communication system would be ideal are incompatible with current technology because there is no convenient way to install such systems. Indeed, there may not be access roads or even foot trails.
Moreover, existing remote communications systems require routine maintenance to replace batteries and electronics. Most existing remote communications systems have no provision for self-diagnosis, nor do they have pro-active self-maintenance capabilities.
Pro-active self-maintenance capability includes the ability to send an alert message to a monitoring facility noting that the rescue device is either xe2x80x9cuseablexe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cdamagedxe2x80x9d. Most remote communication systems do not even have the ability to respond to status request calls from a monitoring facility.
Furthermore, existing remote communication systems, such as a conventional pay telephone, call box, or cellular telephone are easily damaged and often are the target of vandalism and theft, particularly when a device is located out of public view.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Previous efforts to provide a method and apparatus to call for emergency aid have taken many forms.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,742,666 describes a cellar telephone system that dials a predetermined number automatically in case of emergency. Activation is by a user or automatically by the device should it detect an emergency.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,365,570 describes a radio telephone system that dials a predetermined number in case of an emergency when activated by the user.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,038,438 describes a mobile telephone that includes an emergency radio beacon transmitter that can be activated by emergency center personnel. Emergency response personnel then can home in on the radio beacon.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,296,496 describes an emergency radio system that broadcasts a distress signal to radios in the immediate area regardless of the particular channel to which the radio is tuned.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,864,674 describes a radio warning system that includes emergency condition sensors and a transmitter with unique identification signals that permits remotely located operators to determine the existence and location of the emergency.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,355,140 describes an emergency radio that, when activated, transmits time and GPS-determined location on one or more emergency frequencies.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,852,401 describes a wristwatch type emergency radio that, when activated, transmits GPS-determined location by radio.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,502,446 describes a GPS-based rescue network in which individual receivers transmit their respective positions to other units in the network.
xe2x80x9cGPSxe2x80x9d is the global positioning satellite system that permits users to determine geographic location accurately.
While each of these prior arrangements may be effective for their stated purpose, the system of the present invention provides other advantages not available and not even contemplated by any of the prior arrangements.
It is a principal object of the present invention to provide a communications system for use in hostile and/or remote locations.
It is also an object of the present invention is to provide a communications system for use in locations not readily accessible.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a communications system that can be installed from the air, not requiring ground access to the site for installation.
Briefly, the invention includes a remote communications device having a signal transmitter, a receiver, a GPS receiver, a data processor, and a power control system. A robust alarm ring, when moved, produces vibrations that are sensed by the device. Vibration sensors also monitor proximity events and activities and send a message to a monitoring facility. All messages sent to the monitoring facility include a unique code to identify the individual rescue device and its location.
The above and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent from the following detailed description of the presently preferred embodiment taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.